(Wish Journeys 1-0-1) A Three Brothers Tale: Takuya's Prequel
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: He hadn't appreciated his brother until he was almost gone, and when he was, there was nothing he could do.


**A/N:** Series written for the Diversity Writing Challenge, L20. Individual fic also written for the Crossover Boot Camp, #28 – reflect.

To explain the series, Wish Journeys is a Digimon crossover (particularly seasons 1, 4 and 5) with Brave Story. It has four main stories: 1. Three Brothers, 2. Two Best Friends, 3. Growing Stronger &amp; 4\. Final Day. All four have oneshots as prequels and sequels – which is the numbering. Eg. this is 1.0.1 – the first 1 is that it's part of the first main story, the 0 in the middle is that it's a prequel and the 1 at the end is that it's the first of the prequels. These prequels explain the backstory of the Chosen who appear as characters in Brave Story. So you can read this before or after Three Brothers, but one will have spoilers for the other, depending on which order you've read them in. :D Or which order I write in if you happen to be following me.

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Wish Journeys 1.0.1_  
**A Three Brothers Tale: Takuya's Prequel**_

**.**

He hadn't appreciated what he had until it was almost gone.

All those times he'd snatched things away from his little brother. Teased him. Been jealous of hit. Snapped at him. Even hit him – once or twice, though he'd never, ever, been proud of that fact afterwards. Because he was the older brother and, at the very least, he could be stronger. Strong enough to reign that ugly green-horned monster with the trident staff in. Strong enough to protect him.

That had turned out to be quite the joke. He hadn't protected his little brother. Or that friend of his. A friend that could have used an older brother to fight for him. _Shinya_ who could have used his older brother to fight for him.

Just because Takuya picked fights and only came away with bumps and bruises, it didn't mean everyone did. Maybe that's what Shinya had been thinking. Maybe he thought he could stand up for things, the way Takuya did. Maybe he wouldn't have even wanted Takuya there.

But that didn't matter. What mattered was the end result.

**.**

The little kid was a miserable lump on the bed and he cringed when Takuya walked in. But most of Takuya's attention was on the surrounds so he didn't really notice.

It was just a plain little bay. Bed bedded in white. Yellowed curtains – and who knew whether that was from age or natural colouration. Bandages and a cast. A purse sitting at the end of the bed, looking out of place. Maybe his mother's. Maybe they'd seen him coming and let him have some time. Or maybe they'd gone to sign release papers or something and he'd come at a good time. It was probably lucky. His parents probably weren't too happy with him having being dragged into a fight and paying with more than bruises that would fade within a few days. Takuya wasn't either, but he knew the kid and he was practically a mouse. It was definitely Shinya who'd done the dragging, and this kid who'd been dragged along.

Himi Tomoki. It even said there, on his folder hanging off the end of the bed. Inside was probably a bunch of medico-lingo he wouldn't be able to make sense of if he tried.

Tomoki's eyes bore holes into his skull. 'Takuya-nii –'

'Don't call me that,' Takuya said roughly. He regretted it when the boy snapped back again, eyes pouring guilt.

Did he think it was _his_ fault?

That was almost laughable.

**.**

He was an idiot. His little brother was in a coma and his best friend was a pile of guilt and he couldn't even say one word to comfort him.

And, of course, he couldn't fix things. Being a better role model, staying out of fights, protecting his little brother like he should have done from the offset – it was too late for all of those things.

His parents didn't say it, but they also didn't need to. He knew it. And they knew it too.

Sometimes life's lessons were harsh.

This one was too harsh.

His little brother could die.

For a lesson like that…he couldn't pay such a price. He shouldn't _have_ to pay such a price.

His eyes burned.

**.**

Tomoki went home. Shinya got his own room and it grew in colour by the day. Takuya hadn't realised how popular his little brother had been. Less popular than him but popular nonetheless.

It was like a shadow Shinya had been trying to get out of. Maybe he had. Or maybe he'd just followed the flame because that was what he'd always done. Because that was how much he'd admired his big brother. Despite all the things his big brother did that weren't exemplary.

Takuya hadn't even realised until he saw his brother's tiny form, wrapped in bandages and machines.

There wasn't even room for one of those flimsy hospital gowns that left the back wide open. And that might have been funny if it wasn't for everything else.

He spent his pocket money on sweets. It was stupid, but stupider he thought were the flowers. They died so quick and they stank when they died. At least sweets, in their packets, had a long expiry date. And Shinya would be in sweets heaven when he woke up.

Takuya figured he didn't have enough pocket money for that, but he'd fill the room with sweets anyway.

Shinya deserved to be spoilt.

**.**

He didn't want flowers. He didn't want to _get_ flowers. He was sick of their smell. Of their splashes of colour that made him want to throw up. But he wasn't the one getting them. His grandparents were old and they wanted to buy some nice flowers – not the plain expensive stuff the hospital sold. They were too old to climb the stairs to the third story where that good flower shop was. So they gave him the money (and a little extra to "buy something nice with" – which he''ll get sweets for Shinya with) and he went in their stead.

There was a guy from school there. Which was a surprise because elementary school students (even if they were in their final year) didn't have much use for flowers.

'For your mother?' he heard the girl at the desk ask.

He was about to say 'no, for my brother,' when he realised she was talking to the other boy.

What was his name again? Minamoto something? Wasn't in his class anyway.

A thought struck him and he looked closer.

No, he wasn't one of those gang members.

Kendo club, perhaps. He looked familiar, even though they weren't in the same class.

Takuya realised a lot of people knew him, but he didn't know many people at all.

**.**

Someone left him sweets in his shoe rack one day. They were neatly wrapped and sealed in an airtight zippo and, though they weren't store brought, they didn't look like they'd spoil.

There was just a signed card attached and Takuya blinked stupidly at the name. Again, someone from his year but not his class. New student, if he recalled correctly. Half-Italian.

Oh, that's right. He remembered now. They'd been hassling her too.

It felt like a punch in the gut, that he'd been able to protect a total stranger but not his own little brother.

He tossed the sweets, then quickly picked them up and smoothed the plastic. It wasn't her fault. It wasn't Shinya's fault either. And it wasn't like he could or should have walked away when someone was in trouble. He should have protected Shinya. That was all. And there was no excuse to be made for that.

He put the sweets in Shinya's room that very afternoon. 'They're from Orimoto,' he said to his little brother's still form. 'New girl in the year.'

The next day, he added: 'Don't make her mad. She has a mean slap.'

It seemed unfair, somehow.

But everything was unfair, lately.

**.**

They were nice flowers, the one the girl from the flower shop had given him, but they died too. Takuya made a face as he threw the blackened droopy things in an outdoor bin.

Someone tossed a chocolate wrapper on top.

Takuya stared. He'd run out of pocket money and he hadn't made a fuss when his parents said they couldn't give him more for a while. He understood. They needed every sent for hospital bills and, besides, Takuya hadn't been a good big brother. He didn't deserve it.

They only said the first of course. Maybe they didn't even believe the second. Or maybe they did. It didn't really matter. It only meant Takuya couldn't buy more sweets for Shinya because he was broke.

'Do you want a bar?'

He realised he'd been staring, and the other person looked uncomfortable. But he was holding a bar out, so Takuya took it. It had a long expiry date, and the hospital room was cold. It probably wouldn't melt.

'Aren't you going to eat it?' The boy had already bitten into a new bar. He was in a middle school uniform, Takuya realised. Somewhat tight-fitting too. And he looked grumpy. Maybe he'd been offended.

'I'll give it to my brother,' Takuya replied. 'He deserves it more than me.'

The boy gave him a funny look. 'You must be a good brother.'

Takuya laughed.

He was a horrible brother.

**.**

He came a little later one day because his teachers had kept him back. They were glad his marks had gone up and his detention count down, but they were worried.

He said everything was fine. He'd just learnt a lesson that was a long time coming.

They'd dismissed him.

And by the time he got to the hospital, Tomoki was there…along with somebody else.

That elder brother of his who was a college student and living away from home.

He must have come back after hearing his brother had been hurt.

He glanced at Takuya, then said he'd be getting coffee and left.

Tomoki stared at his hands. His eyes watered.

Takuya's burned.

'I'm sorry,' they both mumbled.

Then Tomoki added an 'I'll leave you two alone' and left.

**.**

Weeks passed. Little changed. Takuya saw Tomoki a few more times and saw his bandages come off, but not the cast. And Shinya was still wrapped up like a mummy.

It was frustrating as hell. And even though he was trying to heed the lesson he'd been taught, he struggled.

He couldn't be nice to Shinya, but he could be nice to everyone else.

It was still all too easy to snap when frustrated though.

'Don't you want to change your fate?'

It was a young man. But his eyes looked like they'd already seen the world.

And he wore a traveller's cloak.

Takuya considered him, then shrugged. It didn't matter whether it was possible or not. 'I want to have protected my brother, the way I should have.'

The man nodded. 'Then go there.' He pointed. The hospital. Its roof. 'There's a gate that will take you to where wishes come true.'

There was no harm in believing that.


End file.
